White Beans Puttanesca

Ingredients:

• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes


• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


• 2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped


• ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted, coarsely chopped


• 1 tablespoon capers, drained, chopped


• 1 can cannellini beans, (19 oz) rinsed and drained


• ¼ cup basil, chopped

Directions:
Cook anchovies, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until anchovies dissolve, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with olives and capers and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Stir in beans and simmer 3 minutes. Add basil.

(Serves 4)



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Sour Cream Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-rising flour, sifted


• 12 tablespoons butter, melted


• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:
Melt butter in large measuring cup then add sour cream, then flour; spoon into small, ungreased muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 20-30min.

NOTE: Freeze well

NOTE: added chives

NOTE: 2x recipe = 56

NOTE: 3x recipe = 82

(Serves --)



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Slow-roasted Summer Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• olive oil


• kosher salt


• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 cup


• 4 ½ - 5 pounds tomatoes, (about 12) medium-large ripe beefsteak , stemmed but not cored


• kosher salt


• sugar


• 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar, scant


• 3-4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced


• 2 tablespoons thyme leaves, fresh

Directions:
Don’t use unrimmed baking sheets or the oil and juices will spill out; instead, use several shallow gratin dishes if you don't have rimmed baking sheets.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet or two 9x12-inch rimmed baking sheets with foil. If you have parchment, put a sheet on top of the foil. Coat the pan or pans with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in half through the equator (not through the stem). Arrange the halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet, turning to coat their bottoms with some of the oil. Sprinkle a pinch each of salt and sugar over each half, and drizzle each with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Arrange the garlic over the halves and top with a generous sprinkling of thyme. Pour the remaining 1 cup olive oil over and around the tomato halves.

Roast in the center of the oven until the tomatoes are concentrated, dark reddish brown (with deep browning around the edges and in places on the pan) and quite collapsed (at least half their original height; they will collapse more as they cool), about 3 hours for very ripe, fleshy tomatoes, about 4 hours for tomatoes that are less ripe or that have a high ­water content. Let cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes and then serve warm or at room temperature. Be sure to reserve the tomato oil (keep refrigerated for up to a week) to use on its own or in a vinaigrette.

Quicker-cooking variation: Remove the seeds and gelatinous pulp (poke them out with your fingers) before roasting. These tomatoes cook more quickly (check for doneness after 2 hours) but yield a slightly flatter, less meaty—but perfectly pleasant—result.

Plum tomato variation: Substitute plum tomatoes, cut in half through the stem end and seeded. The roasting time will be about 2 hours. Roasted plum tomato halves hold together particularly well; layer them in a terrine or roll them up, stuffed with goat cheese and basil, as an appetizer.

Make ahead tips:

To store the tomatoes, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a couple of months. They’ll continue to release juice during storage.

(Serves --)

Slow-roasting, which caramelizes and intensifies the flavor tomatoes and gives them a meatier, more robust texture, is a perfect way to preserve these summer gems. Once you've roasted the tomatoes, they'll keep in the freezer for months.

If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use another fresh hardy herb like oregano or rosemary—or leave it out altogether.

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Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Chef Peacock - Watershed Restaurant Decatur GA

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sugar


• 1 teaspoon kosher salt


• ¼ teaspoon pepper


• 28 oz Italian plum tomatoes, can, drained


• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°; lightly butter 8"baking dish. Stir together sugar, salt & pepper in small cup. Put tomatoes in dish; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Dot tomatoes with butter; bake until partailly collapsed and deeply caramelized (1-2h).

Serve warm or at room temp.

NOTE: can be roasted 2 days ahead and warmed.

(Serves --)



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Quinoa with Mango and Curried Yogurt

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup plain yogurt


• 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh


• 2 teaspoons curry powder


• 1 teaspoon ginger root, finely grated


• ¾ teaspoon salt


• ¼ teaspoon black pepper


• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or peanut oil


• 1 ⅓ cups quinoa, (7 1/2 oz)*


• 1 pound mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (2 cups)


• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice


• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded (if desired for less heat) and minced


• ⅓ cup mint, fresh, chopped


• ½ cup peanuts, (2 1/2 oz) salted roasted ,chopped

Directions:
Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing). Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water. Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Toss quinoa with curried yogurt and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. *Available at specialty foods shops, natural foods stores, and ethnicgrocer.com (866-438-4642).


NOTE: did not add jalapeno, mint or peanuts -- still delicious!

NOTE: Begin w/1.5 c quinoa (lose some while rinsing) and add a bit of Splenda to dressing.

(Serves --)



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Pork Wellington

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins


• 4 ounces boursin cheese


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 6 ounces prosciutto, (3oz per tenderloin)


• puff pastry, (rolled to 16"x2")


• 1 egg, beaten w/1T water

Directions:
Butterfly and stuff tenderloins with boursin cheese. Roll the tenderloins in the thinly sliced prosciutto; sear in 1T olive oil. Wrap each tenderloin in 2/3 sheet of puff pastry rolled to 16"x12"; cut decorations out of remaining puff pastry. Brush with egg/water wash. Cover w/plastic; chill 1h or up to 24h.

Prehat oven to 400 w/rackin lower third. Brush w/more egg wash for good browning. Bake 30-35m; let rest 5m before slicing.

NOTE: I served with port wine sauce.

NOTE: Froze them uncooked -- worked great.

(Serves --)



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Pasta Puttanesca

Our take on this dish, famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" quickly made it between clients, is just as fast and easy as the original and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti, spaghettini, or linguine fini


• 5 cloves garlic , forced through a garlic press


• 2 teaspoons anchovy paste


• ½ teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes


• ⅓ cup olive oil


• 1 can whole tomatoes, (28-oz) can, in juice (preferably Italian)


• ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted


• 2 tablespoons capers, drained


• pinch sugar, (optional)


• ¾ cup basil, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 1/2 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until barely al dente.

While pasta boils, cook garlic, anchovy paste, red-pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, purée tomatoes with juice in a blender.

Add tomato purée to garlic oil along with olives and capers and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is ready. Stir in sugar if desired.

Drain pasta and add to sauce. Simmer, turning pasta with tongs, until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

(Serves --)



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Orecchiette with Chickpeas

You can barely take a step in Puglia without encountering homemade orecchiette, which have an unusual hybrid flavor somewhere between dried and fresh pasta (they're made from semolina and contain no eggs). They happen to be the ideal shape to pair with chickpeas, since many orecchiette will naturally cradle a pea along with the perfect amount of sauce. Though homemade pasta is intensely gratifying (and delicious), this sauce also goes very well with fine-quality store-bought orecchiette (see cooks' note, below)

Ingredients:

• Sauce


• ½ pound dried chickpeas (1 rounded cup), (1 rounded cup), picked over


• 2 cloves garlic , left whole, plus 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped


• 1 Turkish bay leaf , (not California)


• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil


• 1 medium onions, finely chopped


• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped


• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped


• ¼-½ teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes


• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided


• ¾ pounds tomatoes, vine-ripened, finely chopped


• 1 cup water


• ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped


• Orecchiette


• ½ cup water , warm, (105-115°F)


• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt


• 1 ¼ cups semolina , (sometimes called semolina flour)


• Accompaniment


• Parmigiano-Reggiano
  , or Pecorino Romano, grated

Directions:
Sauce:
Soak chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches overnight (8 hours) or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below), then drain.

Simmer chickpeas with whole garlic cloves and bay leaf in water to cover by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot, partially covered with lid, adding more water if necessary, until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Drain chickpeas and discard garlic and bay leaf.

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook onion, celery, carrots, chopped garlic, red-pepper flakes (to taste), and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 12 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and sea salt to taste.

Orecchiette:
Stir together water and sea salt in a bowl until salt has dissolved. Add semolina in a stream, beating with an electric mixer at medium speed until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead with lightly floured hands (use all-purpose flour) until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Divide dough into 5 pieces and let stand under an overturned bowl 30 minutes.

Line each of 2 trays (or a work surface) with a dry kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and dust with some semolina. Keeping remaining dough covered, roll 1 piece of dough into a 14-inch-long rope (about 3/4 inch thick) on an unfloured surface. Cut rope into 1/4-inch pieces. Dust your thumb with some flour and press down on each piece of dough, pushing away from you and twisting your thumb slightly to form an indented curled shape (like an ear). Transfer as formed to lined trays. Make more orecchiette with remaining dough. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.

Cook orecchiette in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente, then drain and toss with sauce.

Cooks' notes:
·You can substitute 3/4 pound dried fine-quality semolina Orecchiette for the homemade.
·Orecchiette can be formed (but not cooked) 3 days ahead. Chill, covered with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and then plastic wrap, on towel-lined trays.
·You can substitute two 19-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, for cooked dried ones.
·To quick-soak chickpeas, cover with water by 2 inches in a medium pot and bring to a boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover, then soak 1 hour. Drain, discarding water.
·Chickpeas can be cooked 2 days ahead. Cool completely and chill (in cooking liquid), covered.
·Sauce, without parsley, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat, stirring in parsley.

(Serves 8)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orecchiette-with-Chickpeas-242012


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orecchiette-with-Chickpeas-242012#ixzz0ieP3wpQE

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Jojo Roasted Salmon

Ingredients:

• salmon


• fleur de sel


• black pepper, fresh ground


• chives, chopped


• 8 ounces truffle puree


• 3 ounces Dijon mustard


• 3 ounces lemon juice


• 6 cups grapeseed oil


• s & p


• potatoes


• butter


• cream

Directions:
Sprinkle salmon with fleur de sel and pepper -- roast (check temperature and time....) -- did about 300 for 20m....

Make vinaigrette: mix truffle puree, mustard, lemon juice; whisk in grapeseed oil -- add s&p

Mash potatoes with butter & cream -- truffles.

To serve: Sprinkle chopped chives on salmon (could try sprinkling on while roasting) -- drizzle vinagrette around edge of plate -- served with sugar snaps

(Serves --)

NOTE: also says drizzle w/lemon juice and olive oil???

NOTE: from his cookbook for 4 - 6oz filets: Preheat oven to 300 -- smear 1t butter on baking dish: place salmon on it skin side UP - place in oven. Check after 12m; skin should peel off easily, the meat should flake - instant read thermometer should read 120. May look underdone, but if meets these three criteria, it is done. Remove skin, scrape gray fatty matter off (if you like -- or just flip over). Sprinkle w/S&P, top w/2T capers, 2T parsley, 1T olive oil, & 1T lemon juice. Serve.

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Individual Truffle Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed


• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped


• 1 ⅔ cups sugar


• 4 large eggs


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°; butter 8 6oz ramekins. Melt butter w/chocolate in microwave; add sugar - combine well. Add eggs & vanilla; combine well.
Spoon batter into ramekins; place on baking sheet. Bake until almost set, but still a little wet, in the center about 25 - 30m.

NOTE: recipe makes 10 Royal Worcester ramekins.

(Serves 8)

NOTE: Could serve 10 or even 12 - very rich. Served with fresh raspberries and whipped cream.

NOTE: 1/4 recipe makes 3 of the shallow brown Mexican dishes. Bake in toaster oven 25m.

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Gougères: A Recipe for French Cheese Puffs

Ingredients:

• ½ cup water, (125ml)


• 3 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, cut into cubes (40g)


• ¼ teaspoon salt


• pinch chile powder, or a few turns of freshly-ground black pepper


• ½ cup flour, (70g)


• 2 large eggs


• 12 chives, finely-minced (or 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme)


• ¾ cup cheese, grated (about 3 ounces, 90g)

Directions:
Two things to keep in mind when making these. One is that you should have all the ingredients ready to go before you start. Don't let the water and butter boil away while you grate the cheese. Otherwise you'll lose too much of the water. Second is to let the batter cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs so you don't 'cook' them. Make sure when you stir in the eggs that you do it vigorously, and without stopping. I'm not a fan of extra dishes to wash, but the intrepid can put the dough in a food processor or use an electric mixer to add and mix the eggs in quickly.

If you don't have a pastry bag with a plain tip, you can put the dough into a freezer bag, snip off a corner, and use that. Or simply use two spoons to portion and drop the dough onto the baking sheet. This recipe can easily be doubled.

1. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

2. Heat the water, butter, salt, and chile or pepper in a saucepan until the butter is melted.

3. Dump in the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the sides into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest two minutes.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to make sure the eggs don't 'cook.' The batter will first appear lumpy, but after a minute or so, it will smooth out. (You can transfer the mixture to a bowl before adding to eggs to cool the dough, or do this step in a food processor or electric mixer, if you wish.)

5. Add about 3/4s (MORE THAN 3/4...) of the grated cheese and the chives, and stir until well-mixed.

6. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a wide plain tip and pipe the dough into mounds, evenly-spaced apart, making each about the size of a small cherry tomato.

7. Top each puff with a bit of the remaining cheese, the pop the baking sheet in the oven.

8. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375F (190C) and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until they're completely golden brown.

For extra-crispy puffs, five minutes before they're done, poke the side of each puff with a sharp knife to release the steam, and return to the oven to finish baking.

NOTE: Zipbag was hard to squeeze and the bag sprung a leak.

NOTE: Use Cuisinart fine grater.

Serving: The puffs are best served warm, and if making them in advance, you can simply pipe the gougères on baking sheets and cook right before your guests arrive, or reheat the baked cheese puffs in a low oven for 5-10 minutes before serving. Some folks like to fill them, or split them and sandwich a slice or dry-aged ham in there, although I prefer them just as they are.

A bit of troubleshooting: The most common problem folks have with pâte à choux, or cream puff dough, is deflated puffs. The usual causes are too much liquid (eggs), or underbaking. Make sure to use large eggs, not extra-large or jumbo, and use a dry, aged cheese, if possible. And bake the puffs until they're completely browned up the sides so they don't sink when cooling. If yours do deflate, that's fine. I've seen plenty of those in France, and I actually think the funky-looking ones have a lot of charm—and you're welcome to quote me on that.

(Serves --)

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/01/gougeres_french_cheese_puffs.html

Link: shows photos of various steps....

http://steamykitchen.com/6659-super-simple-pate-a-choux-basic-cream-puff-recipe.html
1:1:1:1 ratio

By weight – a far more accurate measure you want 8 ounces liquid, 4 ounces butter, 4 ounces flour, and 8 ounces of eggs (and again, a big pinch of salt).

http://upstartkitchen.wordpress.com/answers/pate-a-choux-tricks-and-tips/

Pâte à Choux

Definition: French for cream puff dough or choux pastry; éclair paste.

Name means “cabbage paste”, referring to the fact that cream puffs look like little cabbages. As the name suggests, it is not really a dough in the strictest sense but rather a thick paste that could be described as a roux with the addition of eggs. Choux paste has been around since the sixteenth century and is a must-know dough and a classic among pâtissiers. Typically used to create cream puffs, éclairs and profiteroles.

Unlike puff pastry, pate a choux is extremely easy to make. The dough itself can be prepared in just a few minutes. This is fortunate, because for best baking results the dough should not be prepared ahead of time. The dough is unusual in that it is twice-cooked. The mixture is mixed and heated on the stove top and then baked. The ideal choux paste pastry has a light, very tender crust and an almost completely hollow interior, made for filling with anything from ice cream to a rich seafood stew.

Paste is leavened by steam, which expands the product rapidly and forms large holes in the center of the item. The heat of the oven then coagulates the gluten and egg proteins to set the structure and make a firm product. A strong flour is necessary for sufficient structure.

1) Bring liquid, fat, salt and sugar (if used) to a boil.
The liquid must be heated to a full boil, meaning there are bubbles all over the pot, not just skirting the edges.

2) Add the flour all at once and stir madly until every last speck of flour is incorporated, then keep cooking and stirring some more – it’s this last bit of cooking that will take the raw taste out of the flour; you’ll know you’re ready to quit when the dough forms a ball around your wooden spoon and the bottom of the pan is covered with a light crust.

3) Remove from heat and cool to 140˚.
If not cooled, it will cook the eggs when added.

4) Beat in the eggs a little at a time. Completely mix in each addition of eggs before adding more.
If added too quickly, difficult to get a smooth batter. Don’t use a whisk – it will beat in unwanted air.

Baker’s Notes:

Paste must be firm enough to hold its shape when piped from a pastry bag. On the other hand, should not be too dry, which does not puff up well and is thick and heavy. Use the choux paste while it is still warm. Choux paste cannot be kept.

Should be piped onto parchment-lined pans, not onto greased pans. Grease causes the paste to spread and flatten when baked.

Proper baking temperatures are important. Start at a high temperature (425˚) for the first 15 minutes to develop steam. Then reduce heat to 375˚ to finish baking and set the structure.

Most common mistake is not baking long enough. Must be firm and dry before being removed from oven. If removed too soon or cooled too quickly, they may collapse and be wet. “Listen!” As long as you do not let it become too brown, you cannot over bake pate a choux.

There are many different recipes and philosophies to choose from when it comes to making this classic pastry. However, the one factor that holds true in each case is that the more eggs you are able to add to the base mixture (without causing it to lose its shape when piped), the higher and lighter your finished product will be, ideally becoming just a hollow shell.

Unfilled baked pastries can be well wrapped and frozen for a few weeks.

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Divine Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup heavy cream


• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup


• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Combine cream and corn syrup in pan -- whisk to combine; bring to simmer over medium heat. Add chocolate all at once -- let stand briefly; whisk until smooth.

NOTE: used Special Dark Chocolate Chips

NOTE: used flat whisk

NOTE: in microwave -- do 2c or possibly 3c -- 4c is too much!

NOTE: 6x recipe filled 3 and 1/2 containers (holdling about 1 1/4 cup each).

NOTE: 12x recipe filled 5 (+) square containers -- they are bigger!

(Serves --)



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Chocolate Bouchons (Bouchons Au Chocolate)

These small brownie-like cakes are named for their shape, which resembles a cork (bouchon). They are very rich and chocolaty, baked with the chocolate chips in the batter, and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Bouchon uses 2-ounce fleximolds and serves smaller bouchons. You can also use 3-ounce (2-inch to 2-1/2-inch diameter) timbale molds for larger cakes.

Bouchon by Thomas Keller with Jeffrey Cerciello (Artisan, 2004).

Ingredients:

• butter & flour for the timbale molds


• ¾ cup flour, (3 1/2 oz)


• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder


• 1 teaspoon kosher salt


• 3 large eggs


• 1-½ cups sugar, plus 3T


• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract


• 24 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm


• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Equatoriale (55%) chopped into pieces the size of chocolate chips


• confectioner's sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (BAKE) F. Butter and flour 12 timbale molds. Set aside.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in another large bowl if using a handheld mixer, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very pale in color. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/3 of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to a day.)

Put the timbale molds on a baking sheet. Place the batter in a pastry bag without a tip, or with a large plain tip, and fill each mold about 2/3 full. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When the tops look shiny and set (like a brownie), test one cake with a wooden skewer or toothpick. It should come out clean but not dry (there may be some melted chocolate from the chopped chocolate). Transfer the bouchons to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the timbale molds and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds; then lift off the molds. (The bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked.)

To serve: Invert the bouchons and dust them with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with ice cream if desired.

NOTE: Can spray molds with Pam/flour combo.

NOTE: Sifted cocoa and flour into baggie...

NOTE: Poured chocolate mixture into 8c measuring cup in which butter was melted and combined with chopped chocolate.

NOTE: Two soup spoon to fill each mold.

NOTE: Can bake at 325 degrees (CONVECTION)

NOTE: Makes 30 - 36.

(Serves 12)

Known for his celebrated restaurants — The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in Las Vegas — chef Thomas Keller has been called one of the world's top chefs. His latest eatery has just opened in New York's Time Warner Center. It's called Bouchon Bakery, and many of the recipes can be found in his cookbook, "Bouchon." Keller was invited to appear on “Today” to share some of his trade secrets. Here’s one of his recipes:

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Cheese Pita

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs


• 1 large carton small curd cottage cheese


• 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese


• 2 Tablespoons butter


• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained


• salt


• pepper to taste

Directions:
Prepare a buttered glass dish ( or individual ramekins) and preheat oven 350.

Beat eggs together, mix in cottage cheese, butter, flour, spinach. Salt and pepper.

Bake at 350, or until brown on top, about 45 to 60 minutes.

May be frozen before baking. Adjust baking time -- can go from freezer to oven.

NOTE: Can add red peppers or other vegetables, chopped. Do not need spinach. Can use an assortment of cheeses but nothing stringy like swiss.



(Serves --)



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Blue Dog Cafe Wheat Berry Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cups wheat berries, (see note)


• 2 cups lima beans, frozen (10 ounces)


• ¼ cup walnut oil


• ¾ cup canola oil


• ⅛-¼ cup sherry vinegar


• 1 cup dried cranberries, or currants


• 1 cup walnuts, chpd


• 2 cups celery, diced


• 1 cup scallions, chopped


• salt


• pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan cover berries with water; cook al dente. Drain. Cook limas al dente; drain. Combine walnut oil, canola oil and vinegar; add to warm berries and limas. Toss. Soften dried fruit by soaking in water, if needed.

When bean mixture has cooled, add dried fruit, walnuts, celery and scallions; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTE: Try using less canola oil and more vinegar.

NOTE: Used tarragon vinegar and sherry.

NOTE: Substituted lentils for limas.

(Serves 6)



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Ann Silliman's Benne Biscuits

Ingredients:

• ½ pound sharp cheese, grated


• ¼ pound butter, softened


• ½ teaspoon salt


• pinch red pepper, generous


• 1 ¼ cups flour


• ½ cup benne seeds, roasted to light brown

Directions:
Cream cheese & butter; knead flour, salt & pepper into creamed mixture. Knead benne seeds into dough. Roll; cut w/small cookie cutter.

Sprinkle w/fine salt

Bake 350d (325d convection) until dry but not too brown -- 15 - 20m.

NOTE: Used Kitchenaid to cream cheese & butter -- then switched to dough hook to knead in flour, salt & pepper. Then added benne seeds. Be sure to get them evenly distributed. Dough i very pliable and easy to work with. Put in fridge and pinched off dough to roll.

NOTE: Double recipe made about 300 with small, scalloped cutter. Used 5/16" dowel rod.

NOTE: Used silpat and 2 gray "non-stick" sheets -- double recipe made 4 pans of 70 - 80 each.

NOTE: Is coarse salt better than fine for sprinkling?

(Serves --)



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Ann Schapiro's Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter


• 3 tablespoons flour


• 1 teaspoon salt


• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard


• dash cayenne pepper


• 1 quart chicken stock


• ¾ pound mushrooms, chopped


• ⅓ cup sherry


• ½ cup heavy cream, scalded


• cream, whipped


• slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:
Melt butter in deep saucepan; blend in flour, salt, mustard, & cayenne. Gradually add stock. Cook, stirring constantly until thickens & boils. Add mushrooms. Reduce heat; simmer 40m. Strain out mushrooms (they can be used for other recipes). Stir in sherry & cream. Top each serving w/spoonful of whipped cream & almonds.

NOTE: Might want to use some mushroom broth... also added dried shitakes and portobellos.

(Serves 4)



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Abby Mandel's Boule de Neige

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate


• 2 teaspoons dry instant coffee, espresso if possible


• 1 cup sugar


• ½ cup water, BOILING


• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature


• 4 eggs


• 1 tablespoon dark rum, or cognac


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 2 tablespoons sugar


• 2 teaspoons Cognac, or rum or vanilla

Directions:
Boule:

Begin with an ovenproof mixing bowl with 6-8 cup capacity; it may be glass, pottery, or metal and should preferably be deep and narrow rather than wide and shallow (I use a stainless steel bowl 2.5" high with an inside diameter of 7"). To line bowl with foil, turn the bowl upside down, tear off a 12" square of foil; center it over the inverted bowl. With your hands, press down all sides all around to form the foil into a bowl shape. Then remove foil, turn bowl right side up, and place foil into bowl. Press firmly into shape (careful not to tear).

Break up the chocolate a bit; place in Cuisinart fitted with metal blade along with sugar and coffee. Turn machine on and off several times to start the processing; then let machine run until chocolate is finely chopped. With the machine running, add the boiling water through the feed tube all at once and process until the chocolate is melted. Add butter in small pieces through feed tube; process until melted. Add eggs and rum or Cognac; process about 15 seconds until well-blended. Pour into foil-lined bowl. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.

Remove from oven; the top will be puffy with a hard, cracked crust. Let stand in bowl until cooled slightly; it will shrink more in the center forming a hollow in the center which should be eliminated. The following directions seem unusual, but follow them. A few minutes after the dessert comes out of the oven, place a piece of waxed paper on top of the bowl, touching the dessert. With your fingertips, press down on the edges of the paper to flatten the raised rim of the dessert (the crust will crack -- that's all right). Repeat several times while dessert is cooling in order to flatten the top as much as possible.

When dessert is cool, cover airtight; refrigerate overnight or freeze for several days. A few hours before serving, when you are ready to mask it with whipped cream, remove the covering. Invert onto a flat cake plate.

Neige:

You will need pastry bag with medium star tip, In chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream until it holds a soft shape; add sugar and flavoring. Continue to beat until the cream hold a definite shape. Turn into pastry bag -- cover with small rosettes, touching one another.

Traditionally a Boule de Neige is decorated with a few crystallized violets or rose petals.

NOTE: I use more heavy cream to ensure coverage.

NOTE: Can try "stabilized" whipped cream recipe.

NOTE: Freezes well.

NOTE: Can freeze covered with whipped cream rosettes -- defrost carefully in order not to mar design.








(Serves --)



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Chicken Marbella

One of the finest dishes ever to come out of the Silver Palate Cookbook, this chicken marbella is first marinated in oil, vinegar, capers, olives, prunes, and herbs, then baked with added brown sugar and white wine. While prunes and capers might seem like an odd combination, when cooked together with chicken they create a delectable sweet and sour, savory flavor. The original recipe calls for the chicken pieces to be marinated all night. We found that marinating for 5 hours worked fine.

Ingredients:

• 2 chickens, 2 1/2 lbs each, quartered, bone-in, skin-on


• ½ head garlic, peeled and finely puréed


• 2 tablespoons dried oregano


• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


• ¼ cup red wine vinegar


• ¼ cup olive oil


• ½ cup pitted prunes


• ¼ cup Spanish green olives, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (8 cups)


• ¼ cup capers, with a bit of juice


• 3 bay leaves


• ½ cup brown sugar


• ½ cup white wine


• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley , fresh, finely chopped

Directions:
1 In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, several hours or overnight.
2 Preheat oven to 350°F.
3 Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
4 Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).
5 With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.

Serves 5.

NOTE: Made with 8 large boneless Fresh Market breasts -- cut into 6 pieces each -- olives from Fresh Market also -- marinated in teal square tub -- double recipe -- serves 8 - 10.

(Serves --)

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_marbella/

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